Item - 2020.EC17.2

The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council approve the Fair Pass Program resumption strategy in the report (October 28, 2020) from the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, and direct the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, to implement the resumption strategy.

2.  City Council direct the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, to report to the Economic and Community Development Committee, as part of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Update report in the second quarter of 2021, on funding options for the full implementation of the Fair Pass Program, including consideration in the 2022 Budget process.

In 2016, as part of Toronto's Poverty Reduction Strategy, City Council approved the Fair Pass Program which reduces the cost of public transit for low income residents by providing a discount on an adult Toronto Transit Commission fare. Since the inception of the program, the City of Toronto has issued Fair Pass discounts programmed onto a PRESTO card to over 80,000 Toronto Transit Commission riders saving Toronto's lowest income residents over $11.3 million on the cost of Toronto Transit Commission transit fares.

In March 2020, as part of the City's response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, the City suspended a number of services and programs in order to meet health and safety requirements and focus resources on the maintenance and delivery of critical emergency supports and services for vulnerable and marginalized residents. Consistent with this approach, the receipt and processing of new applications for the Fair Pass Program was suspended, while annual renewals of Fair Pass discounts for residents who remain eligible for the benefit have continued to be processed.

Planning is now underway to resume in December 2020 the acceptance and processing of new applications for the Fair Pass Program in a manner which ensures the health and safety of residents and staff.

This report provides an update on the full resumption of the Program and the impacts to service during the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes an outline of the City's plan to complete implementation of the current second of three implementation phases. The report also identifies outstanding operational and technical barriers related to the Fair Pass Program's integration with the PRESTO card system. Finally, it provides an update on required work to move towards Phase 3 (full implementation) of the Program, which will see eligibility extended to all adult residents whose income is less than the Low-Income Measure plus 15 percent.